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The Old Lady
She never wanted to come home.
After the death of her estranged father, Tracey returns to the remote cabin she grew up in. As a traumatized veteran of the Vietnam War, Tracey’s father subjected her to rigorous survival training under brutal conditions, believing it was for her own good. She escaped and never looked back.
Now in her fifties with a criminal record, Tracey returns to claim the property she’s inherited. Hiking through the forest, teenage Alicia and her friends get lost in the snow. They stumble upon a compound run by extremists, and when the teens see too much, only Alicia manages to escape. She searches for help and comes across a secluded cabin.
With the panicked girl banging on her door, Tracey is launched into combat mode, awakening her inner demons. Though she suffers from extreme PTSD, she is skilled in combat, making her a deadly adversary—perhaps too deadly. As a snowstorm hammers down, the women must work together to save Alicia’s friends from their captors. Alicia has a protector now, but what if this strange old lady is even more dangerous than the people she’s escaped from?
The Old Lady is a new tale of survival horror from Kristopher Triana, author of Gone to See the River Man and Full Brutal, and columnist for Backwoods Survival Guide.
After the death of her estranged father, Tracey returns to the remote cabin she grew up in. As a traumatized veteran of the Vietnam War, Tracey’s father subjected her to rigorous survival training under brutal conditions, believing it was for her own good. She escaped and never looked back.
Now in her fifties with a criminal record, Tracey returns to claim the property she’s inherited. Hiking through the forest, teenage Alicia and her friends get lost in the snow. They stumble upon a compound run by extremists, and when the teens see too much, only Alicia manages to escape. She searches for help and comes across a secluded cabin.
With the panicked girl banging on her door, Tracey is launched into combat mode, awakening her inner demons. Though she suffers from extreme PTSD, she is skilled in combat, making her a deadly adversary—perhaps too deadly. As a snowstorm hammers down, the women must work together to save Alicia’s friends from their captors. Alicia has a protector now, but what if this strange old lady is even more dangerous than the people she’s escaped from?
The Old Lady is a new tale of survival horror from Kristopher Triana, author of Gone to See the River Man and Full Brutal, and columnist for Backwoods Survival Guide.
302 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2024
43 people are currently reading
1111 people want to read
About the author
Kristopher Triana
67 books2,115 followersKristopher Triana is the author of Gone to See the River Man, Full Brutal, They All Died Screaming, Shepherd of the Black Sheep, Toxic Love, and more.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
June 17, 2024
Amazing.
March 16, 2024
My preference in horror has always been the type of stories where the monsters are very much other human beings. While supernatural has its place, the tales that really get under my skin are the ones firmly grounded in reality.
And as far as this story goes, it ticked all the boxes and more.
You do not have to be in a war to get PTSD, but if you push the wrong person with this affliction too far, a war is exactly what you are going to get.
The old lady managed to escape her father, but she is forced to come back one more time after his death. And when some bad men with some bad intentions crosses her path, they are about to learn a very valuable lesson about survival…the odds are against them.
This is survival horror at its absolute best.
For my personal taste, there is nothing I would have wanted differently in this story.
5 Awesome-sauce stars!
And as far as this story goes, it ticked all the boxes and more.
You do not have to be in a war to get PTSD, but if you push the wrong person with this affliction too far, a war is exactly what you are going to get.
The old lady managed to escape her father, but she is forced to come back one more time after his death. And when some bad men with some bad intentions crosses her path, they are about to learn a very valuable lesson about survival…the odds are against them.
This is survival horror at its absolute best.
For my personal taste, there is nothing I would have wanted differently in this story.
5 Awesome-sauce stars!
March 12, 2024
FIRST BLOOD Old Lady Style...
THE OLD LADY by Kristopher Triana
No spoilers. 4 stars. Returning to her father's isolated mountain cabin after enduring much pain and hardship there was...
The last thing Tracey wanted to do...
She knew that there was no cure for pain, only temporary fixes...
Since leaving prison, all she ever wanted was escape from her abusive survivalist father...
And...
Once she had escaped, she took measures to guarantee she never had to return to her father's hell hole cabin ever again...
But...
Now he was dead and she had inherited the cabin and she had to go back there because she was alone and 55 years old...
And nearly broke...
It was snowing heavily in the mountains when Tracey arrived and began her long trek up to the cabin on foot...
Meanwhile...
A lost foursome of teens were hiking through the snowy forest looking for their rental cabin...
When...
They came upon a compound filled with ammo, explosives, and some bat sh*t crazy revolutionaries with ideas about what should be done with the teens...
When Tracy found out about their plight, she decided that the only answer was destruction...
She would worry about the six people that could kill her and not about the twelve that would put her away for life...
And...
Tracey was just sane enough to know that she was crazy...
This was a FIRST BLOOD Rambo-like crime story. It had me on the edge of my seat quite a few times. The female Rambo character of Tracey was what kept the story tense.
Unfortunately, I had to remove a star because the dialog of the teens was unrealistic, and I found myself rolling my eyes. For example, while being held at gunpoint by the bad guys, one of the teen boys whipped out his cell phone and threatened to make a video to show to the authorities. Well, of course, the bad guys with guns take the phone away from him. Duh!!
All in all, it's a good and suspenseful read.
THE OLD LADY by Kristopher Triana
No spoilers. 4 stars. Returning to her father's isolated mountain cabin after enduring much pain and hardship there was...
The last thing Tracey wanted to do...
She knew that there was no cure for pain, only temporary fixes...
Since leaving prison, all she ever wanted was escape from her abusive survivalist father...
And...
Once she had escaped, she took measures to guarantee she never had to return to her father's hell hole cabin ever again...
But...
Now he was dead and she had inherited the cabin and she had to go back there because she was alone and 55 years old...
And nearly broke...
It was snowing heavily in the mountains when Tracey arrived and began her long trek up to the cabin on foot...
Meanwhile...
A lost foursome of teens were hiking through the snowy forest looking for their rental cabin...
When...
They came upon a compound filled with ammo, explosives, and some bat sh*t crazy revolutionaries with ideas about what should be done with the teens...
When Tracy found out about their plight, she decided that the only answer was destruction...
She would worry about the six people that could kill her and not about the twelve that would put her away for life...
And...
Tracey was just sane enough to know that she was crazy...
This was a FIRST BLOOD Rambo-like crime story. It had me on the edge of my seat quite a few times. The female Rambo character of Tracey was what kept the story tense.
Unfortunately, I had to remove a star because the dialog of the teens was unrealistic, and I found myself rolling my eyes. For example, while being held at gunpoint by the bad guys, one of the teen boys whipped out his cell phone and threatened to make a video to show to the authorities. Well, of course, the bad guys with guns take the phone away from him. Duh!!
All in all, it's a good and suspenseful read.
October 8, 2024
Please note that this is a re-posted review and not a re-read 2024. I am putting it up because it was the Splatterpunk Book Club selection for this month. The members voted for an outstanding entry by one of my favorites in the new voices in extreme horror. I thought I was going to be able to re-read this one with the club, but I do not believe I will make it.
THE OLD LADY [2024] By Kristopher Triana
My Review 5.0 Out Of 5 Stars
This was just released, and I had to have it. No one needs inquire how I feel about Triana I guess. This novel is a departure from “Going to See the River Man,” “Along the River of Flesh,” “The Prettiest Girl in The Grave”, and others that come to mind. But when you think about it Triana has already distinguished himself as a genre-bender before this novel. “A Fine Evening in Hell” and “The Devil Cried” are crime fiction with the second one more organized crime.
I gotta say it. I LOVED this book. It meets the definition of “unputdownable.” Tracey, a weathered woman in her fifties with a criminal record is returning to the remote cabin she grew up in, partly because her father died and she inherited it. Her deceased father had also warned the realtor that Tracey was the only person who could enter the house safely due to armed booby traps.
The author creates an incredibly damaged but sympathetic character in Tracey. She had escaped from the cabin once and never looked back. Her father was a traumatized veteran of the Vietnam War and had been tortured by the Vietnamese. Her emotionally disturbed father had subjected her to rigorous survival training under horrible and brutal conditions believing that it was in his daughter’s best interests. He had tortured her and trained her like she was going to be grabbed by the Vietnamese by nightfall. Tracy finally escaped the living hell in the remote cabin and her father’s domination, but she suffered from PTSD and soon was involved with drugs, promiscuity, and the criminal element.
Meanwhile a teenager named Alicia and her two friends were hiking through the forest and became lost in the snow. The kids stumble across a compound run by extremists, and unfortunately see too much to be allowed to leave. Alicia manages to escape into the wilderness and in her search for help comes across the secluded cabin in the woods. Tracey has no more than taken a look around the place when the panicked teenager starts banging on her door. This immediately launches the traumatized Tracey into combat mode. Her inner demons awaken and are screaming. Despite Tracey’s severe PTSD she is a deadly adversary. Alicia finds that she has an ally in Tracey, a protector to help her and her friends.
The snowstorm continues to hammer down and Alicia knows that men from the extremist camp will follow her tracks and hunt her. But soon enough, Alicia will be questioning if her new champion is a Helluva lot more dangerous and deadly than the men inhabiting the compound she escaped.
This is riveting action throughout the book. Tracey is a character of Triana’s that I will never forget. My heart bled for her at the same time she was annihilating the so called extremist bad actors. The most memorable scene in the book was when Tracey disarmed voluntarily to protect the innocents. She was undergoing torture by a female member of the extremists that specialized in torture and sex trafficking little girls. Wow!
The author delivered a realistic if not predictable climax to the novel. Sometimes I hate when that happens. I cannot believe I am saying that because I just reviewed another book that had a fairy tale ending and I criticized it. You might think I cannot be pleased. Smile. That is not so, though. This book is absolutely fantastic, realistic ending and all.
KICK #$% NEW SURVIVALIST HORROR FROM TRIANA
THE OLD LADY [2024] By Kristopher Triana
My Review 5.0 Out Of 5 Stars
This was just released, and I had to have it. No one needs inquire how I feel about Triana I guess. This novel is a departure from “Going to See the River Man,” “Along the River of Flesh,” “The Prettiest Girl in The Grave”, and others that come to mind. But when you think about it Triana has already distinguished himself as a genre-bender before this novel. “A Fine Evening in Hell” and “The Devil Cried” are crime fiction with the second one more organized crime.
I gotta say it. I LOVED this book. It meets the definition of “unputdownable.” Tracey, a weathered woman in her fifties with a criminal record is returning to the remote cabin she grew up in, partly because her father died and she inherited it. Her deceased father had also warned the realtor that Tracey was the only person who could enter the house safely due to armed booby traps.
The author creates an incredibly damaged but sympathetic character in Tracey. She had escaped from the cabin once and never looked back. Her father was a traumatized veteran of the Vietnam War and had been tortured by the Vietnamese. Her emotionally disturbed father had subjected her to rigorous survival training under horrible and brutal conditions believing that it was in his daughter’s best interests. He had tortured her and trained her like she was going to be grabbed by the Vietnamese by nightfall. Tracy finally escaped the living hell in the remote cabin and her father’s domination, but she suffered from PTSD and soon was involved with drugs, promiscuity, and the criminal element.
Meanwhile a teenager named Alicia and her two friends were hiking through the forest and became lost in the snow. The kids stumble across a compound run by extremists, and unfortunately see too much to be allowed to leave. Alicia manages to escape into the wilderness and in her search for help comes across the secluded cabin in the woods. Tracey has no more than taken a look around the place when the panicked teenager starts banging on her door. This immediately launches the traumatized Tracey into combat mode. Her inner demons awaken and are screaming. Despite Tracey’s severe PTSD she is a deadly adversary. Alicia finds that she has an ally in Tracey, a protector to help her and her friends.
The snowstorm continues to hammer down and Alicia knows that men from the extremist camp will follow her tracks and hunt her. But soon enough, Alicia will be questioning if her new champion is a Helluva lot more dangerous and deadly than the men inhabiting the compound she escaped.
This is riveting action throughout the book. Tracey is a character of Triana’s that I will never forget. My heart bled for her at the same time she was annihilating the so called extremist bad actors. The most memorable scene in the book was when Tracey disarmed voluntarily to protect the innocents. She was undergoing torture by a female member of the extremists that specialized in torture and sex trafficking little girls. Wow!
The author delivered a realistic if not predictable climax to the novel. Sometimes I hate when that happens. I cannot believe I am saying that because I just reviewed another book that had a fairy tale ending and I criticized it. You might think I cannot be pleased. Smile. That is not so, though. This book is absolutely fantastic, realistic ending and all.
KICK #$% NEW SURVIVALIST HORROR FROM TRIANA
May 4, 2025
I love Triana's work and The Old Lady demonstrates he still has the gift. One of the things I really like about his work as a whole concerns the lack of any formulaic trend with the only exception being that people often constitute the main monsters rather than any supernatural villain. Lots of monsters populate The Old Lady but they are all human, however deranged. Our protagonist, Tracey, the titular Old Lady (although she is only 55 or so!) starts the tale here returning to the isolated cabin deep in the White Mountains where she was raised by her father. Tracey ran away when she hit 18 and that was that as far as she her father. Nonetheless, lawyers tracked her down and told her that her father left her his 'estate' if you will. They also left it to her to sort out as her dad was well known to employ all kinds of booby traps to protect his property!
Triana then introduces the rest of the cast-- four teenagers taking a hike in the mountains to a cabin they rented for the weekend. Winter is still around with snow and slush everywhere so they got the cabin cheap. They also got lost trying to find the place and ended up stumbling across the 'compound'. It seems some good old boys (and girls) use the compound as a home base and actually are right in the middle of a major action; pretty early on we learn that they are planning on blowing up something big with a truck bomb. Well, the tired hikers wander in an ask for directions, or even a ride back, but well, things get out of hand and one of them gets shot dead. One of the hikers, Alicia, managed to run away from the altercation, but now she is lost in the woods and the revolutionary cadre try to track her down. Fortunately, she finds Tracey's cabin just in time. Or maybe not so fortunate as Tracey may be just a bit crazy, or maybe more than a bit!
I loved Tracey as a character. From an early age, her father, a semi-crazed Vietnam vet, taught her survival skills and how to be a warrior; many flashbacks of her early life haunt the pages here. Since she left 'home', she rambled around the country, taking menial jobs and spending many years in prison for one thing or another. She never really adapted to the world at large, in part due to her lack of social skills (being homeschooled by her father), but also due to her mental imbalance, as she suffers from depression among other things. Tracey was hoping to sort out her father's cabin and sell it; instead, she gets mixed up in all kinds of shit. Alicia and the other hikers really play a minor role here, but a nail biting one for sure. The revolutionary cadre at the compound is some kind of crazy and scary all by themselves. Not really much of a cohesive group and packed with all kinds of villains. The final main character may be the horrible weather, as even early on the snow starts to fall and most of the story takes place in a nasty snowstorm; Triana out did himself with the atmosphere!
While I really liked this tale, I did have a few quibbles. My biggest concerns the difficulty in suspending my disbelief; what are the odds a group of hikers stumbles across a bunch of domestic terrorists? What are the odds they also encounter Tracey, a kind of one woman killing machine? Still, if you can get beyond the initial set up, the story rocks! I have yet to read even a mediocre Triana! 4 crazy stars!
Triana then introduces the rest of the cast-- four teenagers taking a hike in the mountains to a cabin they rented for the weekend. Winter is still around with snow and slush everywhere so they got the cabin cheap. They also got lost trying to find the place and ended up stumbling across the 'compound'. It seems some good old boys (and girls) use the compound as a home base and actually are right in the middle of a major action; pretty early on we learn that they are planning on blowing up something big with a truck bomb. Well, the tired hikers wander in an ask for directions, or even a ride back, but well, things get out of hand and one of them gets shot dead. One of the hikers, Alicia, managed to run away from the altercation, but now she is lost in the woods and the revolutionary cadre try to track her down. Fortunately, she finds Tracey's cabin just in time. Or maybe not so fortunate as Tracey may be just a bit crazy, or maybe more than a bit!
I loved Tracey as a character. From an early age, her father, a semi-crazed Vietnam vet, taught her survival skills and how to be a warrior; many flashbacks of her early life haunt the pages here. Since she left 'home', she rambled around the country, taking menial jobs and spending many years in prison for one thing or another. She never really adapted to the world at large, in part due to her lack of social skills (being homeschooled by her father), but also due to her mental imbalance, as she suffers from depression among other things. Tracey was hoping to sort out her father's cabin and sell it; instead, she gets mixed up in all kinds of shit. Alicia and the other hikers really play a minor role here, but a nail biting one for sure. The revolutionary cadre at the compound is some kind of crazy and scary all by themselves. Not really much of a cohesive group and packed with all kinds of villains. The final main character may be the horrible weather, as even early on the snow starts to fall and most of the story takes place in a nasty snowstorm; Triana out did himself with the atmosphere!
While I really liked this tale, I did have a few quibbles. My biggest concerns the difficulty in suspending my disbelief; what are the odds a group of hikers stumbles across a bunch of domestic terrorists? What are the odds they also encounter Tracey, a kind of one woman killing machine? Still, if you can get beyond the initial set up, the story rocks! I have yet to read even a mediocre Triana! 4 crazy stars!
March 9, 2024
Have you ever cried reading a Triana novel? No?, me neither, untill THIS MASTERPIECE, I absolutley love Triana he's one of my favourite authors and I adore all his books however in The Old Lady his character development reaches new soaring heights, there is an ocean of depth to the character of Tracey, morally Grey-no sorry morally pitch black, BUT I somehow still found myself sitting with a profound sense of sympathy for her, sure she caused a bit of a ruckus (side eye) but this complicated many layered character really broke my heart, I felt she was a manifestation of the basic human instinct of survival and inner turmoil we face when trying to battle our demons, a truly compelling and well crafted protagonist,
very much a survival horror at its core, this will have your heart pounding and leave you short of breath, it's fast paced and action packed. This was an intense story that was emotionally complex more so than any other novel by Triana I've read, the representation of PTSD was something to be commended, not over sensationalized, just real, brutal and raw, palpable pain that emanates from the pages, both mentally and physically, make no mistake though there's still the absolute slew of violence and gore were used too, reading this book was equal to being on a Rollercoaster that's about to go off the rails whilst everyone else on the ride is like self combusting? And you're covered in blood and guts and you're crying and just wanna go home (in the best possible way)
very much a survival horror at its core, this will have your heart pounding and leave you short of breath, it's fast paced and action packed. This was an intense story that was emotionally complex more so than any other novel by Triana I've read, the representation of PTSD was something to be commended, not over sensationalized, just real, brutal and raw, palpable pain that emanates from the pages, both mentally and physically, make no mistake though there's still the absolute slew of violence and gore were used too, reading this book was equal to being on a Rollercoaster that's about to go off the rails whilst everyone else on the ride is like self combusting? And you're covered in blood and guts and you're crying and just wanna go home (in the best possible way)
February 1, 2025
This was an action packed book!
Group of friends get lost in the woods they become trapped by a group of radical extremist. When all hope is lost, the old lady arrives to save them. She has the same bad ass component you would expect from Rambo. What’s the leads to tons of exciting violence and some hard hitting character developments.
Group of friends get lost in the woods they become trapped by a group of radical extremist. When all hope is lost, the old lady arrives to save them. She has the same bad ass component you would expect from Rambo. What’s the leads to tons of exciting violence and some hard hitting character developments.
October 26, 2024
A One Woman Army
This book was selected for my October read and this was my second time reading from this author. This book is a perfect read for an ominous and spooky scenery. It’s about teenagers who wanted to have a nice weekend being one with nature in the woods and enjoying the weather but little did they know this was the beginning of the end. They stumble upon something they should not have which starts the unfortunate the events that take place. Tracey a woman that is returning home to a cabin that has traumatized her and altered her life forever. She was trained by her abusive father ( a solider in the Vietnam war) to survive all circumstances no matter how cruel they were. Now Tracey has no choice but to revert back to her training to save a group of teenagers. What harm can one woman do she is just an old lady? This book is action packed and very much survival mode this is a great read you won’t be disappointed at all.
This book was selected for my October read and this was my second time reading from this author. This book is a perfect read for an ominous and spooky scenery. It’s about teenagers who wanted to have a nice weekend being one with nature in the woods and enjoying the weather but little did they know this was the beginning of the end. They stumble upon something they should not have which starts the unfortunate the events that take place. Tracey a woman that is returning home to a cabin that has traumatized her and altered her life forever. She was trained by her abusive father ( a solider in the Vietnam war) to survive all circumstances no matter how cruel they were. Now Tracey has no choice but to revert back to her training to save a group of teenagers. What harm can one woman do she is just an old lady? This book is action packed and very much survival mode this is a great read you won’t be disappointed at all.
February 23, 2024
“Nothing in life made Tracey happier than hurting other people.”
Tracey’s father did it all for love. The combat training, the morbid knowledge checks, the grueling hours of torture done upon his young daughter were to train Tracey to survive just as he did in war. Now, the only thing Tracey needs to survive is the brain her father destroyed. After his passing, Tracey returns to the nightmare cabin she has inherited, estranged and uncertain of her next chapter in life. But this cabin has secrets. A final test from her dead father: What should Tracey do if someone lays a hand on her? 🪓
Oh, Tracey, you damaged yet beautiful golem. I lament. I’ve finished the book yet miss you deeply. Unhinged, unlikeable women really hit me in the soft underbelly of my heart and Tracey is just the perfect chemical imbalance of rage and sacrifice to really throttle me by my heartstrings. I rooted for her the entire way, more so than any other character, and although I knew it impossible with all the psychological damage she carried, I only wanted the best for her. Which is hilarious given that she is responsible for a metric ton of blood, gore, and destruction. Ruthless, efficient, Tracey is an uncalculated mad bull you so wanna watch destroy the stadium. 🐂
On a deeper note, this narrative is an eye opener. With Rambo, I think about the damage war causes to those deployed. With The Old Lady, I think, Oh shit, this stretches far beyond, terror overextending its unwelcomed reach into parts I wish could be blocked off. Inhumane violence, post traumatic stress disorder, everything affects everything, and unfortunately those repercussions can easily echo throughout generations. It makes me think about parallel universes and the lives people might lead if their paths took a prompt U-turn. 🫀
ANYWAY, I could ramble about this book forever. The point is, it’s a heart-pumping, action-packed, violent ride you need to be on—immediately. The question is whether or not you’ll survive. 👀
Tracey’s father did it all for love. The combat training, the morbid knowledge checks, the grueling hours of torture done upon his young daughter were to train Tracey to survive just as he did in war. Now, the only thing Tracey needs to survive is the brain her father destroyed. After his passing, Tracey returns to the nightmare cabin she has inherited, estranged and uncertain of her next chapter in life. But this cabin has secrets. A final test from her dead father: What should Tracey do if someone lays a hand on her? 🪓
Oh, Tracey, you damaged yet beautiful golem. I lament. I’ve finished the book yet miss you deeply. Unhinged, unlikeable women really hit me in the soft underbelly of my heart and Tracey is just the perfect chemical imbalance of rage and sacrifice to really throttle me by my heartstrings. I rooted for her the entire way, more so than any other character, and although I knew it impossible with all the psychological damage she carried, I only wanted the best for her. Which is hilarious given that she is responsible for a metric ton of blood, gore, and destruction. Ruthless, efficient, Tracey is an uncalculated mad bull you so wanna watch destroy the stadium. 🐂
On a deeper note, this narrative is an eye opener. With Rambo, I think about the damage war causes to those deployed. With The Old Lady, I think, Oh shit, this stretches far beyond, terror overextending its unwelcomed reach into parts I wish could be blocked off. Inhumane violence, post traumatic stress disorder, everything affects everything, and unfortunately those repercussions can easily echo throughout generations. It makes me think about parallel universes and the lives people might lead if their paths took a prompt U-turn. 🫀
ANYWAY, I could ramble about this book forever. The point is, it’s a heart-pumping, action-packed, violent ride you need to be on—immediately. The question is whether or not you’ll survive. 👀
July 18, 2025
Call it oppositional defiance disorder, call it being a contrarian; whatever it is, I have it. I kept seeing The Old Lady getting hyped up, so I said let me see if this is all everyone is saying it is. I mean, I should have known… but damn you Triana, you did it again. Another author who threatens to break my book stubbornness with bangers like this. From the storytelling, to the well hashed out characters, to the hero/villain that kept giving us more to love/hate/understand & an entire cast of villains that you KNOW are going to get it good.
Quick premise:
Tracey has lived a hard life, but the foundation that her tough-as-nails father instilled in her helped get through most of it. Now she has to go back to a home she tried to leave behind that’s been inhabited by the ghosts of her recently departed father & her less than fond memories. That is, until a frantic hiker shows up at her father’s cabin/bunker, raving about a group of extremist psychos who have her friends held captive. Now Tracey is torn between helping these poor kids or not, unaware of the chain of events she’s been pulled into that will end in total carnage.
Another Blockbuster from Triana in the books, one that made me shake my head & audibly say “Damn” more than a few times. He continues to be a master of cognitive dissonance when it comes to his characters that you want to root for, but know they’re probably too far gone. This complex, bloody tome blended some great social commentary, mental illness representation, & good ol’ thirst quenching revenge. I think he might have fucked around & written my favorite survival horror to date, if not my favorite of his for sure. So choo-choo, here’s one more or the hype train. 1 ticket for boo-boo the fool. 🤡 Go get this one & don’t wait like I did!
Quick premise:
Tracey has lived a hard life, but the foundation that her tough-as-nails father instilled in her helped get through most of it. Now she has to go back to a home she tried to leave behind that’s been inhabited by the ghosts of her recently departed father & her less than fond memories. That is, until a frantic hiker shows up at her father’s cabin/bunker, raving about a group of extremist psychos who have her friends held captive. Now Tracey is torn between helping these poor kids or not, unaware of the chain of events she’s been pulled into that will end in total carnage.
Another Blockbuster from Triana in the books, one that made me shake my head & audibly say “Damn” more than a few times. He continues to be a master of cognitive dissonance when it comes to his characters that you want to root for, but know they’re probably too far gone. This complex, bloody tome blended some great social commentary, mental illness representation, & good ol’ thirst quenching revenge. I think he might have fucked around & written my favorite survival horror to date, if not my favorite of his for sure. So choo-choo, here’s one more or the hype train. 1 ticket for boo-boo the fool. 🤡 Go get this one & don’t wait like I did!
April 8, 2024
Big fan of this! Action packed horror and a tale about survival. I picked this up not knowing what to expect and safe to say this is another brutal classic by Triana.
The plot is detailed and riddled with action packed scenes that leaves you captivated. What made this enjoyable was the characters. Triana’s character building was excellent again. Tracey, the old and powerful is a mix between John Wick and John Rambo. Didn’t know what to expect from her but the story giving insight on her past was incredible to read. She’s so badass and different from most main characters. When Tracey meets a teenager, seeking refuge from a group of extremists. All hell breaks loose in the story!
Like other Triana’s stories this gave me chills! The reading supplied no shortage of gores. Triana’s writing ability was on full display, he touched on a number of topics that reflects on the divide of today’s society. All of which were reflected in the mindset of the extremist villains, this book was almost an honest telling today’s problems. Lastly, another phenomenal story from the author, that leaves you wanting more. Incredible story! 4.5 ⭐️ for me.
Likes: The characters, the plot, the writing, and the setting.
The plot is detailed and riddled with action packed scenes that leaves you captivated. What made this enjoyable was the characters. Triana’s character building was excellent again. Tracey, the old and powerful is a mix between John Wick and John Rambo. Didn’t know what to expect from her but the story giving insight on her past was incredible to read. She’s so badass and different from most main characters. When Tracey meets a teenager, seeking refuge from a group of extremists. All hell breaks loose in the story!
Like other Triana’s stories this gave me chills! The reading supplied no shortage of gores. Triana’s writing ability was on full display, he touched on a number of topics that reflects on the divide of today’s society. All of which were reflected in the mindset of the extremist villains, this book was almost an honest telling today’s problems. Lastly, another phenomenal story from the author, that leaves you wanting more. Incredible story! 4.5 ⭐️ for me.
Likes: The characters, the plot, the writing, and the setting.
February 17, 2024
I can't get enough of Triana writing utterly unhinged women.
Guess who can dole out the most violence? A crew of established domestic terrorists, or some cracked old lady?
This book is everything you love in a fast-paced action/thriller, steeped in a steaming pool of viscera.
🙌🙌🙌
Guess who can dole out the most violence? A crew of established domestic terrorists, or some cracked old lady?
This book is everything you love in a fast-paced action/thriller, steeped in a steaming pool of viscera.
🙌🙌🙌
March 5, 2024
Wow. I just finished read this book, absolutely incredible. If you're a fan of the unhinged women trope in books, or a fan of first blood, you need to read this. But don't get it twisted, this isn't just a rehashing of first blood, this is Triana's own beast through and through. Triana is one of the few modern horror writers today that could take a character like Tracy make her commit absolute atrocities, far beyond what would be acceptable in self defense, and yet still make you feel for her, root for her. This is a must read.
August 13, 2024
Another exceptional story by Kristopher Triana! Im becoming a huge fan and beginning to think he can do no wrong.
This was a thrilling survival story that had a very bittersweet, remarkable ending. Definitely recommend
This was a thrilling survival story that had a very bittersweet, remarkable ending. Definitely recommend
November 4, 2024
It took me a while to get through this one; it never really grabbed me or engaged me. I finally decided to finish it just to see if my guess about how the plot would resolve was correct. For the most part, I saw how it worked out but the ending caught me by surprise.
But not enough surprise to wow me, more like "Oh, the author made that decision instead of the other one". This my third Triana book and the second one that I feel "meh" about. This story told from an omniscient viewpoint that changes focus between different characters in each scene, and spends a lot of time in the character's heads. This felt like a lot of telling and not a lot of showing - "The anger consumed her entire brain, making her see red" instead of "Her pupils dilated and her nostrils flared before she smiled and grabbed the man by the lapels" for example. I never felt any sense of immediacy or danger, and the characters were so cliche'd and stuck in their ruts that it was hard to feel anything for them.
Plot-wise, this is a straightforward "young college kids find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time" set in the NE US in contemporary times. The kids find an unlikely ally in Tracey, a woman with a troubled past and troubling mental issues who is a badass - she's a better survivalist/guerrilla fighter than the redneck militia wannabes that she fights on behalf of the kids. I was worried this was going to be a long, running gun battle across the whole mountain a'la Reamde but instead it's a lot of cat and mouse and hostage scenarios. The plot moves quick enough, but I skimmed a lot of the internal monologue from Tracey. It felt repetitive after 10%; it only became more redundant as the story moved forward.
I was only a little ways into the book when I made an update, "This feels like 'Thelma and Louise' sung to the tune of 'Rambo'" and having finished the book, I feel like that's about as accurate summary as I can provide. I've read gorier books, I've read books with more interesting characters, I've read books with more exciting plots. The focus of this book is on Tracey's issues; her upbringing and past colliding with her empathy for the kids and her conflict with the rednecks. It's an interesting dynamic, but it just wasn't handled as well as it could have been. We don't go deep enough into her psyche to feel any revelations about the human condition, leaving me ultimately unsatisfied.
Splatterpunk BOTM OCT/2024
Bechdel test? NO
Mako Mori test? YES
Vito Russo test? NO
Latif test? NO
Reading Level: EASY ADULT
Romance: NO
Smut: NO
Violence: YES
TW: brutal unaliving, sexual assault, sexual torture, torture, child endangerment
Kindle only? YES
----- Pre 2023? (IYKYK) NO
But not enough surprise to wow me, more like "Oh, the author made that decision instead of the other one". This my third Triana book and the second one that I feel "meh" about. This story told from an omniscient viewpoint that changes focus between different characters in each scene, and spends a lot of time in the character's heads. This felt like a lot of telling and not a lot of showing - "The anger consumed her entire brain, making her see red" instead of "Her pupils dilated and her nostrils flared before she smiled and grabbed the man by the lapels" for example. I never felt any sense of immediacy or danger, and the characters were so cliche'd and stuck in their ruts that it was hard to feel anything for them.
Plot-wise, this is a straightforward "young college kids find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time" set in the NE US in contemporary times. The kids find an unlikely ally in Tracey, a woman with a troubled past and troubling mental issues who is a badass - she's a better survivalist/guerrilla fighter than the redneck militia wannabes that she fights on behalf of the kids. I was worried this was going to be a long, running gun battle across the whole mountain a'la Reamde but instead it's a lot of cat and mouse and hostage scenarios. The plot moves quick enough, but I skimmed a lot of the internal monologue from Tracey. It felt repetitive after 10%; it only became more redundant as the story moved forward.
I was only a little ways into the book when I made an update, "This feels like 'Thelma and Louise' sung to the tune of 'Rambo'" and having finished the book, I feel like that's about as accurate summary as I can provide. I've read gorier books, I've read books with more interesting characters, I've read books with more exciting plots. The focus of this book is on Tracey's issues; her upbringing and past colliding with her empathy for the kids and her conflict with the rednecks. It's an interesting dynamic, but it just wasn't handled as well as it could have been. We don't go deep enough into her psyche to feel any revelations about the human condition, leaving me ultimately unsatisfied.
Splatterpunk BOTM OCT/2024
Bechdel test? NO
Mako Mori test? YES
Vito Russo test? NO
Latif test? NO
Reading Level: EASY ADULT
Romance: NO
Smut: NO
Violence: YES
TW: brutal unaliving, sexual assault, sexual torture, torture, child endangerment
Kindle only? YES
----- Pre 2023? (IYKYK) NO
February 22, 2024
My new favourite genre of book is “good for her” books, for those who support women’s rights but also women’s wrongs. Triana does this genre beautifully, creating complex, multidimensional, unhinged women (anti?)heroes with compelling, blood-soaked storylines.
Tracey’s Vietnam veteran father subjected her to brutal survival training as a child. After his death, she returns to his remote cabin to prepare it to be sold. Teenagers Alicia, Marcus, Dylan, and Nori get lost hiking in the woods when they discover a compound run by an American-patriot-extremist-type group and are taken hostage. Alicia escapes and makes her way to Tracey’s cabin for help. Tracey’s version of “help” is bloody, brutal revenge.
As with any Triana novel, this is extreme horror, splatterpunk, not for the faint of heart…and I loved every second of it.
Tracey’s Vietnam veteran father subjected her to brutal survival training as a child. After his death, she returns to his remote cabin to prepare it to be sold. Teenagers Alicia, Marcus, Dylan, and Nori get lost hiking in the woods when they discover a compound run by an American-patriot-extremist-type group and are taken hostage. Alicia escapes and makes her way to Tracey’s cabin for help. Tracey’s version of “help” is bloody, brutal revenge.
As with any Triana novel, this is extreme horror, splatterpunk, not for the faint of heart…and I loved every second of it.
March 16, 2024
This story is wild, Tracey is so unhinged but such a bad bitch, & the violence lasts until the very last page!
March 4, 2024
I officially have a new favorite character by Triana and that’s the totally unhinged killing machine known as the crazy “old lady” Tracey! When I’m applauding a character for setting people on fire, butchering others and jamming an induction heater through someone’s cracked skull, it’s evident an intriguing character has been born 👏
The story is told through multiple POVs- Tracey, four teens hiking in the woods and a group of violent extremists. I love the building of suspense with each chapter because you slowly learn more about Tracey and her strict training and also watch as the teens get lost and find themselves in danger and held captive. I already knew it was going to be a wild rescue/revenge fight when Tracey mistakes one of the teens for her estranged daughter. The more I learned about Tracey and her past, the more I wanted to see her in action - Triana delivers all that and more! Action, drama, gore galore and a great amount of depth with characters who are either lovable or detestable. All these ingredients made for an exciting and highly addictive reading experience. I also still can’t get over the final showdown which was intense and heartbreaking in all its beautiful violence. Simply put, it was perfect.
Unquestionably, this is a new favorite from the author. Tracey is an absolute masterpiece and I couldn’t get enough of her and her mental tic of still hearing her dead father. It’s emotionally complex as it is a violent action thrill-ride that’s unsettling to the point of disturbing. As with any Triana book, proceed with caution as there are a few content warnings. Overall, I highly recommend Horror fans to do themselves a favor and read this book, you won’t be disappointed.
Many thanks to the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told through multiple POVs- Tracey, four teens hiking in the woods and a group of violent extremists. I love the building of suspense with each chapter because you slowly learn more about Tracey and her strict training and also watch as the teens get lost and find themselves in danger and held captive. I already knew it was going to be a wild rescue/revenge fight when Tracey mistakes one of the teens for her estranged daughter. The more I learned about Tracey and her past, the more I wanted to see her in action - Triana delivers all that and more! Action, drama, gore galore and a great amount of depth with characters who are either lovable or detestable. All these ingredients made for an exciting and highly addictive reading experience. I also still can’t get over the final showdown which was intense and heartbreaking in all its beautiful violence. Simply put, it was perfect.
Unquestionably, this is a new favorite from the author. Tracey is an absolute masterpiece and I couldn’t get enough of her and her mental tic of still hearing her dead father. It’s emotionally complex as it is a violent action thrill-ride that’s unsettling to the point of disturbing. As with any Triana book, proceed with caution as there are a few content warnings. Overall, I highly recommend Horror fans to do themselves a favor and read this book, you won’t be disappointed.
Many thanks to the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2024
"Every move is acceptable, no matter how sneaky or brutal. There can be no mercy, no forgiveness, and no second chances. Destroy your enemies before they destroy you."
Triana has done it once again, with his expert storytelling skills. He delivers a brutal war, powered by the will to survive and demons of the past.
Just like everything I have read from Triana, this book was astounding.
This was brutal, as I've noticed in a lot of his works, and is crafted so wonderfully. A destructive merciless fight for survival. It's filled with pain, both mentally and bodily. A horrifying trek, being hunted.
The story jumps back and fourth between the past and present and really paints the picture and sets up to show why The Old Lady is who she is. I loved all the back story and the character building.
The portrayal of ptsd I felt was a perfect representation, and the agony and torture it puts on you mentally. The knife cuts deep with this one. I didn't think this story would make me feel anything, and by the time I closed the book, I wanted to cry. The ending was beautifully heartbreaking. I fell in love with the golem and felt their pain. His writing is so descriptive that it's easy to imagine you're there living the moments. Set in the cold, snowy mountains, it will chill you to your bones.
I really can't formulate a good review on how this made me feel. Triana is my favorite author, and I just can't put into words on how his writing effects me. I can say, if you haven't read anything by him, please pick up any one of his books. They're all different, he has a little bit of something for all readers.
Triana has done it once again, with his expert storytelling skills. He delivers a brutal war, powered by the will to survive and demons of the past.
Just like everything I have read from Triana, this book was astounding.
This was brutal, as I've noticed in a lot of his works, and is crafted so wonderfully. A destructive merciless fight for survival. It's filled with pain, both mentally and bodily. A horrifying trek, being hunted.
The story jumps back and fourth between the past and present and really paints the picture and sets up to show why The Old Lady is who she is. I loved all the back story and the character building.
The portrayal of ptsd I felt was a perfect representation, and the agony and torture it puts on you mentally. The knife cuts deep with this one. I didn't think this story would make me feel anything, and by the time I closed the book, I wanted to cry. The ending was beautifully heartbreaking. I fell in love with the golem and felt their pain. His writing is so descriptive that it's easy to imagine you're there living the moments. Set in the cold, snowy mountains, it will chill you to your bones.
I really can't formulate a good review on how this made me feel. Triana is my favorite author, and I just can't put into words on how his writing effects me. I can say, if you haven't read anything by him, please pick up any one of his books. They're all different, he has a little bit of something for all readers.
August 18, 2024
I loved it! I will forever read every word put on paper by this man. The ending of this book was so unexpected and sad. 🫀🫀🫀🫀🫀
July 20, 2024
The main character Tracey is one of the most interesting characters I've ever read about. Five stars for her. I also loved the dynamics between her and some of the other characters. Unfortunately there has been to many action scenes for my taste. And there was a POV that was pretty boring most of the time (looking at you, Bart!).
Overall I would still recommend this.
Overall I would still recommend this.
February 23, 2024
Well, Mr. Triana, bravo!
I did not know what to expect with this book; then again, I don’t know what to expect with any Triana book, but boy, was this a fast-paced and brutal story, and I totally rallied for the protagonist, the old lady, Tracey.
We meet Tracey, who returns to her late father’s cabin in New Hampshire after certain circumstances leave her at the mercy of the criminal justice system. Returning to this cabin was a last resort as the life she had spent here with her dad was tortuous, to say the least, subjecting her to arduous survival training.
While familiarizing herself again with the cabin and navigating tormented memories, she observes a group of lost teenagers hiking through the adjacent woods.
Then all hell breaks loose! The group of teens comes across a vicious group of extremists, and when one teen breaks free, she runs for help and meets Tracey. Now, this 50-year-old goes into combat mode, where the book goes all over the place! This book gave me chills!! Tracey puts me to shame as I approach my old lady age because Tracey was such a badass!!
Kudos to Triana for writing a well-fleshed-out character yet keeping true to his themes of the visceral gore that we love! I never expected to love a survival horror story, but this one was Chef’s Kiss! Thank you, @kristophertriana, for the advanced copy! And to everyone else, go pre-order this book @trianahorror.com. It releases on February 20th! Make it a belated Valentine’s Day gift for yourself or a horror-loving person! You will NOT be disappointed!
I did not know what to expect with this book; then again, I don’t know what to expect with any Triana book, but boy, was this a fast-paced and brutal story, and I totally rallied for the protagonist, the old lady, Tracey.
We meet Tracey, who returns to her late father’s cabin in New Hampshire after certain circumstances leave her at the mercy of the criminal justice system. Returning to this cabin was a last resort as the life she had spent here with her dad was tortuous, to say the least, subjecting her to arduous survival training.
While familiarizing herself again with the cabin and navigating tormented memories, she observes a group of lost teenagers hiking through the adjacent woods.
Then all hell breaks loose! The group of teens comes across a vicious group of extremists, and when one teen breaks free, she runs for help and meets Tracey. Now, this 50-year-old goes into combat mode, where the book goes all over the place! This book gave me chills!! Tracey puts me to shame as I approach my old lady age because Tracey was such a badass!!
Kudos to Triana for writing a well-fleshed-out character yet keeping true to his themes of the visceral gore that we love! I never expected to love a survival horror story, but this one was Chef’s Kiss! Thank you, @kristophertriana, for the advanced copy! And to everyone else, go pre-order this book @trianahorror.com. It releases on February 20th! Make it a belated Valentine’s Day gift for yourself or a horror-loving person! You will NOT be disappointed!
December 2, 2024
I will say this one caught me off guard. I was expecting something much different from the title. I wasn’t expecting the main character to be a middle-aged woman, for one. You have to read it to understand that statement. I definitely recommend this. Kristopher Triana is the master of extreme horror prose. This was also a shift in genre. It was less horror and more like an exciting, fast-paced action movie.
Tracey is a hardened badass saving some random older teens who show up after tangling with a militia hiding out in the woods.
I was getting a little concerned when the book seemed to lean into politics. I’m not a fan of politics in books. However, it wasn’t a soapbox, and as I kept reading, I felt that the book leaned against politics and groupthink. I like that message.
Tracey is a hardened badass saving some random older teens who show up after tangling with a militia hiding out in the woods.
I was getting a little concerned when the book seemed to lean into politics. I’m not a fan of politics in books. However, it wasn’t a soapbox, and as I kept reading, I felt that the book leaned against politics and groupthink. I like that message.
July 19, 2024
Tracey as a character was so well written and my heart broke when hearing her story. Honestly the book didn’t need so much action, I was reading for Tracey and Alicia.
May 21, 2024
“Her only reservations against acts of further cruelty stemmed not from sympathy, but from a fear of persecution in a courtroom.” 🇻🇳🔫
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Review: Never did I think a survivor story with so many guns would entertain me, let alone be something I voluntarily read. If anyone else attempted to write this, I wouldn’t have made it past page 3; Triana has a way of writing the most unhinged characters, and I enjoy it every time. The Old Lady, Tracey, is proof not all PTSD comes from war, but she sure fights like she has been. The depth of her character throughout the story almost made me cry.
There are heavily controversial political topics and prejudices. Do stray away if you’re sensitive to these things; it will trigger you!! I believe it was necessary to gain a greater understanding of the antagonists and their flagrant lifestyles. Extreme horror at its finest; I was in awe of the ending. His writing only gets better and better!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Review: Never did I think a survivor story with so many guns would entertain me, let alone be something I voluntarily read. If anyone else attempted to write this, I wouldn’t have made it past page 3; Triana has a way of writing the most unhinged characters, and I enjoy it every time. The Old Lady, Tracey, is proof not all PTSD comes from war, but she sure fights like she has been. The depth of her character throughout the story almost made me cry.
There are heavily controversial political topics and prejudices. Do stray away if you’re sensitive to these things; it will trigger you!! I believe it was necessary to gain a greater understanding of the antagonists and their flagrant lifestyles. Extreme horror at its finest; I was in awe of the ending. His writing only gets better and better!
March 17, 2024
I can see Triana’s love for Jack Ketchum shining through on this one! Except this one is probably even more intense and brutal than most of Ketchum’s works. There are moments in this story that were like a punch to the solar plexus. As always, I am astounded by how well Triana writes women; in this book, three very different types of women are represented and he nails them all. 100% recommend, Triana once again proves why he is one of the best writers out there today
April 17, 2024
This was not as horrific/gory/disturbing as Gone to See the River Man. I think the perfect description is violent. There are trigger warnings for PTSD, rape, abuse, etc. so as per usual, check those before you proceed. This book is action packed and played out like a movie. I really enjoyed it and am officially a fan of Kristopher Triana.
November 25, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up! Kristopher Triana has fully cemented himself as one of my favorite horror authors.
I left this book unread for so long because I expected something very different than what it was. I listened to the audio and I feel like it made me like Tracey’s character even more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, KT is one of the only horror authors who writes women FMCs in a way that isn’t cringey. And I really appreciate and love that.
I left this book unread for so long because I expected something very different than what it was. I listened to the audio and I feel like it made me like Tracey’s character even more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, KT is one of the only horror authors who writes women FMCs in a way that isn’t cringey. And I really appreciate and love that.
July 31, 2024
Shine on, Tracey. Shine on.
July 31, 2025
This started off a little slow but by the first 100 pages or so I was hooked.
Tracey is a bad ass and utterly insane but I felt so bad for her, even as she was feeding people to wood chippers. She was an interesting study in nature vs nurture. I also loved Alicia and even Nori proved herself capable in the bad ass category.
Tracey is a bad ass and utterly insane but I felt so bad for her, even as she was feeding people to wood chippers. She was an interesting study in nature vs nurture. I also loved Alicia and even Nori proved herself capable in the bad ass category.
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